Alexander and Murray are trying to rally Republicans and Democrats around a short-term plan to lower ObamaCare premiums in 2018 and 2019.

Republicans pulled the plug on the bipartisan talks when it appeared their last-ditch ObamaCare repeal bill was gaining momentum, but the change in Alexander's position could be a sign that he and Murray are closing in on an agreement.

The Council for Affordable Health Coverage (CAHC) is urging Congress to take several bipartisan steps to help stabilize the individual insurance markets.

In a letter to Democratic and Republican leaders in both chambers, the coalition of drugmakers, insurers and others in the health sector is seeking a federal reinsurance program or a grant program to provide money for state-led reinsurance programs.

Reinsurance programs help cover the costs of sicker customers.

The letter comes a week after Republicans abandoned their effort to repeal ObamaCare for the time being.

While it's still early, health policy insiders see two current officials as perhaps the most likely candidates: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

"While Price may no longer be Secretary of HHS, he still has the responsibility to follow through on his commitment to repay the American public," Murray wrote. "Anything less is a clear indication that Price was not in fact sorry for his abuse of taxpayer dollars, but was just sorry that he was caught."

Puerto Rico would receive an extra $1 billion for its Medicaid program under Republican legislation to extend the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for another five years.

The legislation is the first Republican request to direct extra Medicaid money to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. The island is still trying to deal with the severe damage it received from the storm.

The legislation from the House Energy and Commerce Committee mirrors a bipartisan proposal in the Senate Finance Committee, but it also includes some potentially controversial offsets.

For example, the House bill would repeal ObamaCare's public health prevention fund and raise Medicare rates for wealthy seniors.

Currently, a prescription for the abortion pill Mifeprex cannot be filled at a retail pharmacy. Instead, the pill must be obtained from a clinic, medical office or hospital from a health care provider that has pre-registered with the drug manufacturer.

These providers must also stock the pill on site and patients must sign a form to get it.

"The abortion pill is safe, effective, and legal. So why is the FDA keeping it locked away from women who need it?" said Julia Kaye, staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project.

Leading doctors group calls for automatic weapons ban after Las Vegas shooting

The American College of Physicians issued a statement late Monday labeling mass shootings a "serious public health issue" and calling for a ban on automatic and semi-automatic weapons in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas.

"We must acknowledge that lack of a U.S. policy to address gun violence is the reason we have much higher rates of injuries and deaths from firearms violence than other countries," the group said in a statement. "Specifically, we call for a ban on the sale and ownership of automatic and semiautomatic weapons."

An indictment charges that Menendez met with the Obama administration health official about an $8.9 million Medicare billing dispute on behalf of Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, according to The Associated Press. The AP added that the indictment charges that Melgen bribed Menendez with trips on private jets and luxury hotel stays.

Menendez, however, claims he wanted to meet with Sebelius about inconsistencies in Medicare billing practices.